A 3-D Navier-Stokes CFD study of turbojet/ramjet nozzle plume interactions at Mach 3.0 and comparison with data

Advanced airbreathing propulsion systems used in Mach 4-6 mission scenarios, usually consist of a single integrated turboramjet or as in this study, a turbojet housed in an upper bay with a separate ramjet housed in a lower bay. As the engines transition from turbojet to ramjet, there is an operational envelope where both engines operate simultaneously. One nozzle concept under consideration has a common nozzle, where the plumes from the turbojet and ramjet interact with one another as they expand to ambient conditions. In this paper, the two plumes interact at the end of a common 2-D cowl, when they both reach an approximate Mach 3.0 condition and then jointly expand to Mach 3.6 at the common nozzle exit plane. At this condition, the turbojet engine operated at a higher NPR than the ramjet, where the turbojet overpowers the ramjet plume, deflecting it approximately 12 degrees downward and in turn the turbojet plume is deflected 6 degrees upward. In the process, shocks were formed at the deflections and a shear layer formed at the confluence of the two jets. This particular case was experimentally tested and the data used to compare with the PARC3D code with k-kl two equation turbulence model. The 2-D and 3-D centerline CFD solutions are in good agreement, but as the CFD solutions approach the outer sidewall, a slight variance occurs. The outer wall boundary layers are thin and do not present much of an interaction, however, where the confluence interaction shocks interact with the thin boundary layer on the outer wall, strong vortices run down each shock causing substantial disturbances in the boundary layer. These disturbances amplify somewhat as they propagate downstream axially from the confluence point. The nozzle coefficient (CFG) is reduced 1/2 percent as a result of this sidewall interaction, from 0.9850 to 0.9807. This three-dimensional reduction is in better agreement with the experimental value of 0.9790.